Heel-attaching machine



Sept. 5, 1961 E. EBERLE 2,999,037

HEEL-ATTACHING MACHINE Filed March 15, 1961 INVENTOR.

ERNST EBERLE @562 7 97 rri igzys nitepd States Patent 2,999,037HEEL-ATTA HING MACHINE Ernst Eberle, 29 I-Iindenburgstrasse, Magstadt,Germany Filed Mar. 13, 1961, Ser. No. 95,316 Claims. (Cl. 1-335) Thepresent invention relates to a heel attaching machine in which the heelduring nailing onto the shoe is retained by a pressure member engagingthe tread surface of the heel and by a support member which engages theheel part adjoining the heel portion of the shoe, i.e., adjoining theheel portion of the shoe-upper.

In the machines of this type, known in the prior art, the shoe isplaced, with the heel facing upwardly on a last-like plate. At the baror rod movable in the vertical direction is normally secured the supportmember which engages the heel part adjoining the heel portion of theshoe. This rod is guided downwardly in the known prior art devices withthe aid of a threaded spindle. The pressure member which engages thetread surface of the heel, however, is supported on these prior artmachines, not on this rod, but separately and adjustably at the machineframe. Consequently, when the heel is to be nailed onto the shoe inthese prior art machines, then, for purposes of retaining the heel onthe shoe, at first the rod with the support member has to be rotateddownwardly with the aid of the threaded spindle until the support memberabuts against the heel. Thereafter, in an operation separate from thelowering of the support member, the pressure member has to be loweredagainst the tread surface of the heel and has to be secured thereat.

In contradistinction thereto, the present invention essentially consistsin securing at the rod a self-adjusting pivot bearing at which thepressure member and support member are pivotally secured in such amanner that the same adjust themselves automatically to the height,shape and surface of the heel.

The present invention thereby entails the advantage that the differencein height at which the pressure member has to engage with heels ofdifferent heights is equalized by the pivot bearing so that, afterlowering of the rod, neither the support member nor the pressure memberhave to be separately adjusted. The adjustment of both supportsconsisting of pressure and support member for purposes of retaining theheel on the shoe during the nailing operation, therefore, takes place inthe machine according to the present invention, fully automaticallywhich is not the case if both supports are rigidly secured at theaforementioned rod.

It is also appropriate, according to another feature of the presentinvention, to guide the pressure member abutting against the heelsurface, in addition to the pivotable support thereof in the pivotbearing, within a guide means. The pressure member, in that case, isbrought into engagement with the bottom surface of the heel always inthe correct direction and does not have to be swung, during lowering ofthe rod, into the correct position thereof.

Of particular advantage is a construction of the present invention inwhich the pressure member is guided within the support member whichengages the heel in proximity to the heel portion of the shoe.Preferably, the guide means is so designed and constructed that theangle which the pressure surface of the pressure member forms with thelongitudinal axis of the last-plate changes automatically with theheight of the heel. For, depending on the height of the heel, the angleof the tread surface with respect to the longitudinal axis of the laston which the shoe is clamped also changes.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a heelattaching machine which eliminates the Patented Sept. 5, 1961 drawbacksand inadequacies of the prior art constructions.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a heel nailingmachine, and more particularly a heel retaining means for retaining theheel on the shoe during the nailing operation which adjusts itself fullyautomatically to the different possible heights of the heel which,especially with womens shoes, fall within a wide range.

Another object of the present invention resides in the provision of aheel attaching machine which simplifies the operation and moreparticularly requires only a single manipulation to bring into theoperative position the heel retaining means, consisting of the supportmember and pressure member firmly supporting the heel to be nailed ontothe shoe, by merely lowering the heel retaining means.

A further object of the present invention resides in the provision of aheel attaching machine in which the support member engaging the treadsurface of the heel is separately guided directly within the pressuremember to thereby enable automatic adjustment thereof for properengagement with the heel surface.

Still a further object of the present invention lies in a novel andimproved counter pressure clamp and heel gauging means which are fullyautomatic to facilitate handling of a machine having great versatilityof application with dilferent styles of shoes.

These and other objects, features and advantages of the presentinvention will become more obvious from the following description whentaken in connection with the accompanying drawing which shows, forpurposes of illustration only, one embodiment in accordance with thepresent invention, and wherein FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of theoverall machine in accordance with the present invention, and

FIGURE 2 is a partial side elevational view showing those parts of themachine in accordance with the present invention necessary for anunderstanding of the invention.

Referring now to the drawing wherein like reference numerals are usedthroughout the various views to designate corresponding parts, and moreparticularly to FIG- URE 1, reference numeral 1 designates therein theessentially C-shaped curved upright support on which a heel abutment 2is secured over which the shoe may be slipped with the tread surfacethereof facing upwardly. A toothed rack 3 is displaceably guided withina suitable aperture provided within the upper end of the support 1. Asuitable ratchet lock (not shown) of conventional design may beincorporated into the machine to lock the toothed rack 3 in place afterbeing lowered by swinging handle bar 3'.

A rocker 4 constituting a self-adusting pivot bearing is pivotablysecured at the lower end of the rack 3. A support member 6, in turn, ispivotably supported about a bolt member 7 or the like at one end of therocker 4. A pressure member 9 is pivotably supported about a bolt member8 at the other end of the rocker 4 which pressure member 9 possesses aplane pressure surface 10 which abuts, during use of the machine,against the tread surface of a heel. The pressure member 9 is guidedwith the aid of guide bolts or trunnions 11 within guide slots 12 whichare provided on both sides of the pressure member 9, within the supportmember 6. The support member 6 is provided along the lower rim thereofwith a padding layer 13, for example, consisting of foam rubber, bymeans of which the part of the heel adjoining the heel portion of theupper of the shoe is pressed against the shoe. The support member 6 maybe otherwise of any suitable, conventional design. The guide slots 12are so arranged within support member 6 that the underside or bottomsurface 10 of the pressure member 9 always extends parallelly to thetread surface of the shoe clamped over the last-like plate 2,irrespective of the height of the heel.

The heel attaching machine, except for the details described hereinabovemay be of any conventional known construction including a rotatablelever 15 to perform the nail-driving operation nailing together the heeland shoe, known per se in the art, which form no part of the presentinvention so that a detailed description thereof is dispensed withherein.

While I have shown and described one embodiment in accordance with thepresent invention, it is understood that the same is not limited theretobut is susceptible of many changes and modifications within the spiritand scope thereof, and I, therefore, do not wish to be limited to thedetails shown and described herein but intend to cover all such changesand modifications as are encompassed by the scope of the appendedclaims.

I claim:

1. A heel attaching machine for attaching different types and sizes ofheels to a shoe in which the heel while being secured to the shoe isretained in place by means of a pressure member acting on the treadsurface of the heel with a force directed substantially perpendicularlythereto and by means of a support member acting on the heel partadjacent the heel portion of the shoe, comprising support means, heelretaining means including a pressure member and a support member,lowering means for lowering said members with respect to said supportmeans, and means including first means pivotably connecting said supportmember and said pressure member individually to said lowering means andsecond means separate from said first means operatively connecting saidsupport member with said pressure member for providing relativeadjustment between said support member and said pressure member wherebythe pressure member is accommodated to the tread surface of the heelupon actuation of said lowering means.

2. A heel attaching machine for attaching different types and sizes ofheels to a shoe in which the heel while being nailed to the shoe isretained in place by means of a pressure member acting on the treadsurface of the heel with a force directed substantially perpendicularlythereto and by means of a support member acting on the heel partadjacent the heel portion of the shoe, comprising support means, heelretaining means including a pressure member and a support member,lowering means for lowering said members with respect to said supportmeans, and means operatively connecting said support member and saidpressure member with each other and with said lowering means, saidconnecting means including a rocker arm having two ends, first pivotmeans pivotally securing said support member to one end of said rockerarm, second pivot means pivotally securing said pressure member to theother end of said rocker arm, third pivot means pivotally securing saidrocker arm to said lowering means intermediate said ends, and meansoperatively connecting said support member and said pressure member witheach other-to enable relative adjustment therebetween upon actuation ofsaid lowering means with respect to the height, shape and tread surfaceof the heel whereby said pressure member is accommodated to the treadsurface of the heel upon actuation of said lowering means and appliesagainst said tread surface said substantially perpendicularly directedforce.

3. In a heel attaching device for attaching diiferent types and sizes ofheels to a shoe in which a heel is adapted to be nailed to an upper andwhich includes a stationary support member for supporting thereon theshoe with the tread surface facing upwardly, the improvement of a heelretaining assembly adapted to be raised and lowered with respect to saidstationary support member, said assembly comprising lowering means,pressure means, support means, means operatively connecting saidpressure means and said support means with said lowering means includingfirst pivot means for said pressure means and second pivot means forsaid support means, and means operatively connecting said pressure meansand said support means with each other to enable relative movementtherebetween upon actuation of said lowering means to provide relativeadjustment therebetween whereby said pressure means is accommodatedsubstantially to the tread surface of the heel upon actuation of saidlowering means.

4. A heel attaching machine in which the heel while being secured to theshoe is retained in place by means of a pressure member acting on thetread surface of the heel and a support member acting on the heel partadjacent the heel portion of the shoe, comprising support means, heelretaining means including a pressure member and a support member,lowering means for lowering said members with respect to said supportmeans, and means operatively connecting said support member and saidpressure member with each other and to said lowering means includingfirst pivotal connecting means for said pressure member, second pivotalconnecting means for said support member, and guide means for guidingsaid pressure member relative to said support members in such a mannerthat said members adjust themselves, upon lowering of said loweringmeans, to the height, shape and tread surface of the heel.

5. A heel attaching machine in which the heel while being nailed to theshoe is retained in place by means of a pressure member acting on thetread surface of the heel and a support member acting on the heel partadjacent the heel portion of the shoe, comprising support means, heelretaining means including a pressure member and a support member,lowering means for lowering said members with respect to said supportmeans, and means operatively connecting said support member and saidpressure member with each other and to said lowering means including arocker arm having two ends, first pivot means pivotally securing saidpressure member to said rocker arm near one end thereof, second pivotmeans pivotally securing said support member to said rocker arm near theother end thereof, and guide means for guiding said pressure memberrelative to said pressure member, and further pivot means pivotallysecuring said rocker arm to said lowering means intermediate said ends.

6. A heel attaching machine in which the heel while being nailed to theshoe is retained in place by means of a pressure member acting on thetread surface of the heel and a support member acting on the heel partadjacent the heel portion of the shoe, comprising support means, heelretaining means including a pressure member and a support member,lowering means for lowering said members with respect to said supportmeans, and means operatively connecting said support member and saidpressure member with each other and to said lowering means including arocker arm, having two ends, first pivot means pivotally securing saidsupport member to said rocker arm near one end thereof, second pivotmeans pivotally securing said pressure member to said rocker arm nearthe other end thereof, and guide means for guiding said pressure memberwith in said support member in addition to the pivotal support thereofnear the respective end of said rocker arm to provide an automaticadjustment of the angle, which the surface of said pressure member formswith respect to the guide means, and further pivot means pivotallysecuring said rocker arm to said lowering means intermediate said ends.

7. In a heel attaching machine of the type provided with a frame member,a support plate for the shoe to be supported thereby in a position inwhich the tread surface thereof faces upwardly, a heel retaining device,and means for raising and lowering said heel retaining device withrespect to said frame member, the improvement consisting of a heelretaining assembly comprising a support member, a pressure member, saidsupport and pressure member cooperating with one another to retain theheel in position with respect to the upper of the shoe, a rocker armpivotably secured to said lowering means, first pivot means pivotallyconnecting said support member to said rocker arm, second pivot meanspivotally connecting said pressure member to said rocker arm, and guidemeans for guidingly supporting said pressure member with respect to saidsupport member whereby said pressure member is accommodated to the treadsurface of the heel upon actuation of said lowering means.

8. In a heel attaching machine of the type provided with a frame member,a support plate for the shoe to be supported thereby in a position inwhich the tread surface thereof faces upwardly, a heel retaining device,and means for raising and lowering said heel retaining device withrespect to said frame member, the improvement consisting of a heelretaining assembly comprising a support member, a pressure member, saidsupport and pressure member cooperating with one another to retain theheel in position with respect to the upper of the shoe, a rocker armpivotably secured to said lowering means, first pivot means pivotallyconnecting said support member to said rocker arm, second pivot meanspivotally connecting said pressure member to said rocker arm, and guidemeans for guidingly supporting said pressure member with respect to saidsupport member, said guide means being formed by guide slots within saidsupport member and guide pins provided on said pressure member extendinginto said slots.

9. In a heel attaching machine of the type provided with a frame member,a support plate for the shoe to be supported thereby in a position inwhich the tread surface thereof faces upwardly, a heel retaining device,and means for raising and lowering said heel retaining device withrespect to said frame member, the improvement consisting of a heelretaining assembly comprising a support member, a pressure member, saidsupport and pressure member cooperating with one another to retain theheel in position with respect to the upper of the shoe, a rocker armpivotably secured to said lowering means, first pivot means pivotallyconnecting said support member to said rocker arm, second pivot meanspivotally connecting said pressure member to said rocker 6 arm, andguide means for guidingly supporting said pressure member with respectto said support member, said guide means being formed by guide slotssaid support member and guide pins provided on said pressure memberextending into said slots, and a padding along the lower rim of saidsupport means by means of which said heel is pressed against the heelportion of the upper.

10. A heel attaching machine in which the heel while being secured tothe shoe is retained in place by means of a pressure member acting onthe tread surface of the heel and a support member acting on the heelpart adjacent the heel portion of the shoe, comprising support means,heel retaining means including a pressure member and a support member,lowering means for lowering said members with respect to said supportmeans, and means pivotably connecting said support member and saidpressure member with each other and to said lowering means includingfirst pivotal connecting means for said pressure member, second pivotalconnecting means for said support member, and guide means for guidingsaid pressure member within said support member to provide relativeadjustment between said members whereby said pressure member isaccommodated to the tread surface of the heel upon actuation of saidlowering means.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,269,654 Standish June 18, 1918 1,457,435 Higgins June 5, 19231,558,501 Pope Oct. 27, 1925 1,583,849 Minett May 11, 1926 1,747,216Bertrand Feb. 18, 1930 1,966,483 Brauer July 17, 1934 1,996,879 PopeApr. 9, 1935 2,067,295 Thum Jan. 12, 1937 2,183,789 De Rusha Dec. 19,1939 2,193,084 Aeschbach Mar. 12, 1940 2,199,514 Stratton May 7, 19402,600,507 Leahy June 17, 1952 2,764,768 Ashley Oct. 2, 1956 2,881,439Dell Apr. 14, 1959

1. A HEEL ATTACHING MACHINE FOR ATTACHING DIFFERENT TYPES AND SIZES OFHEELS TO A SHOE IN WHICH THE HEEL WHILE BEING SECURED TO THE SHOE ISRETAINED IN PLACE BY MEANS OF A PRESSURE MEMBER ACTING ON THE TREADSURFACE OF THE HEEL WITH A FORCE DIRECTED SUBSTANTIALLY PERPENDICULARLYTHERETO AND BY MEANS OF A SUPPORT MEMBER ACTING ON THE HEEL PARTADJACENT THE HEEL PORTION OF THE SHOE, COMPRISING SUPPORT MEANS, HEELRETAINING MEANS INCLUDING A PRESSURE MEMBER AND A SUPPORT MEMBER,LOWERING MEANS FOR LOWERING SAID MEMBERS WITH RESPECT TO SAID SUPPORTMEANS, AND MEANS INCLUDING FIRST MEANS PIVOTABLY CONNECTING SAID SUPPORTMEMBER AND SAID PRESSURE MEMBER INDIVIDUALLY TO SAID LOWERING MEANS ANDSECOND MEANS SEPARATE FROM SAID FIRST MEANS OPERATIVELY CONNECTING SAIDSUPPORT MEMBER WITH SAID PRESSURE MEMBER FOR PROVIDING RELATIVEADJUSTMENT BETWEEN SAID SUPPORT MEMBER AND SAID PRESSURE MEMBER WHEREBYTHE PRESSURE MEMBER IS ACCOMMODATED TO THE TREAD SURFACE OF THE HEELUPON ACTUATION OF SAID LOWERING MEANS.